Introducing the TikTok Brand Safety Center at APAC Responsible Media Forum 2026

TikTok has introduced its new TikTok Brand Safety Center, alongside its Brand Protection Playbook, and AI Safety Essentials - a new guide to responsible AI-powered creativity in advertising developed in partnership with independent marketing consultancy Responsible Marketing Advisory.

The announcements were made at TikTok's APAC Responsible Media Forum in Singapore, which brought together 30 representatives from brands, agencies, and partners to discuss the future of brand safety and responsible advertising.

In research conducted by Ipsos, people who saw sponsored brand content on TikTok rated those brands 30% more authentic and 11% more trustworthy than people who had not seen it.¹

"People come to TikTok for authenticity, and protecting that experience helps create an environment where brands can connect with audiences confidently. Our role is to build and maintain trust while giving brands the tools and safeguards they need to participate in culture with confidence," said Francis Stones, Head of Global Responsible Media & Brand Safety, Global Business Solutions, TikTok.

How TikTok keeps the platform safe today

Content on TikTok first goes through automated review designed to identify potential violations quickly, with trained human moderators providing context where needed. Potentially misleading claims are referred to more than 20 independent fact-checking organisations accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network, covering 60 languages and 130 markets. Their assessments help inform TikTok's moderation teams, enabling them to take appropriate action if the content violates its Community Guidelines.

Between April and June 2026, TikTok removed more than 30 million videos across 10 Asia Pacific markets for violating its Community Guidelines, around0.3% of all videos published in the region. According to the latest Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, 99.5% were removed proactively - before they were reported to TikTok - and 91.0% within 24 hours.

Globally, automated systems, including AI moderation, accounted for 97.4% of all video removals in Q2 2026. This helps TikTok identify and remove violating content more consistently and reduces the likelihood that the community sees it.

Brand controls and new protection tools

Brand protection goes beyond deciding where ads appear. TikTok takes a broader approach to helping brands protect their reputation, maintain trust, and respond to potential risks. TikTok's approach to brand safety has three layers:

• Safe spaces: TikTok sets baseline safety standards for all ads. Brands set their own controls to suit their needs, including Inventory Filter, Category Exclusion, Vertical Sensitivity, and exclusion lists, with independent partners such as DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and Zefr providing additional verification.
• Real connections: Branded content labels let the audience know when a creator is working with brands
• Clear disclosure: AI-generated content labels help people identify content created or significantly changed using AI.

Brands can choose the controls that best fit their needs, rather than relying on a single setting. TikTok's new Brand Protection Tools extend this approach beyond ad placement, helping brands understand conversations about them, identify potential risks, and take action early.

• TikTok Market Scope Brand Perception: Located in Business Center, this tool shows how much people are talking about a brand, how they feel, and which topics keep coming up.
• Reporting Copyright and Trademark Infringements: Brands can escalate IP concerns through their TikTok account team or report suspected infringement directly through TikTok's reporting channels.
• IP Protection Center: TikTok Shop's Intellectual Property Protection Center (IPPC) lets brands and rights holders report listings that infringe their copyrights or trademarks, with confirmed violations resulting in listing removal and seller strikes.
• TikTok Real: Puts counterfeit protection in the hands of brands selling on TikTok Shop. Brands can review seller authorisations, receive alerts on suspicious listings, and remove confirmed counterfeits quickly.

TikTok's approach to AI Safety in Advertising

AI can support creativity while maintaining authenticity when used responsibly and transparently. TikTok's Responsible AI Framework works across five layers, designed to ensure that AI-powered creativity remains responsible, transparent, and trustworthy.

"As more creators explore AI, we continue to expand labelling technologies and partnerships that help them do so responsibly. Two years ago, TikTok was the first video platform to implement C2PA Content Credentials, a leading AI transparency technology that helps people understand when content has been generated or significantly edited by AI. We've labelled over 3 billion videos as AIGC using a combination of Content Credentials, creator labelling tools and our invisible watermarking technology," said Francis Stones.

For more information on how TikTok helps brands build confidence through brand safety, visit TikTok Academy to explore more learning resources.

Sources: 1. TikTok and Ipsos, "Re-Energising the Mid-Funnel," 2026. Twelve markets, test-and-control design, fieldwork November 2025-February 2026. Figures are relative uplifts among people exposed to sponsored brand content on TikTok versus an unexposed control group